IP Library Granted Patent US 10,458,344
Granted Patent B2
US 10,458,344 · App. 15/787,583 · Granted Oct 29, 2019

Throttle filter system and method

Inventors: Joshua J. Ryan (Vermontville, MI); Patrick McGraw (East Lansing, MI); Johann Eloff (Fort Wayne, IN); Murali X. Balasundrum (Fort Wayne, IN); Todd Chapman (Olivet, MI)
Assignee: Spartan Motors, Inc.
F02D11/105F02D11/02F02D11/106F02D11/107F02D41/222F02D2011/102F02D2041/1432F02D2200/602
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,458,344
App. No.
15/787,583
Granted
Oct 29, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of filtering a targeted frequency from a pedal input signal is provided. The method includes the steps of sampling the pedal input signal at a sampling frequency, calculating a moving average of the pedal input signal from samples of the pedal input signal, and outputting a filtered signal based on the moving average. A throttle filter system is also provided. The system includes a pedal configured to be actuated to set a desired acceleration of a vehicle, a position sensor configured to convert a position of the pedal into an electrical signal, a vehicle driveline configured to accelerate the vehicle, and a filtering module configured to accept the electrical signal from the position sensor and to filter the electrical signal to remove oscillations at a targeted frequency. In the system, the driveline accelerates the vehicle based on the filtered electrical signal.

Claims (49)

1. A method of filtering a targeted frequency from a pedal input signal, the method comprising the steps of:

sampling the pedal input signal at a sampling frequency;

calculating a moving average of the pedal input signal from samples of the pedal input signal; and

outputting a filtered signal based on the moving average.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the targeted frequency corresponds to a beaming frequency of a vehicle frame.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moving average is calculated at the sampling frequency.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sampling frequency is between 100 and 1000 Hz.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the targeted frequency filtered from the pedal input signal is from 2 to 10 Hz.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of outputting the filtered signal further comprises outputting the filtered signal to an engine control module of a vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of outputting the filtered signal further comprises outputting the filtered signal to a driveline of a vehicle.

8. A method of filtering a targeted frequency from a pedal input signal, the method comprising the steps of:

sampling the pedal input signal at a sampling frequency;

calculating a moving average of the pedal input signal from samples of the pedal input signal; and

outputting a filtered signal based on the moving average;

further comprising the steps of:

determining a beaming frequency for each vehicle of a sample of vehicles; and

averaging the beaming frequencies of the vehicles to find the targeted frequency.

9. A method of filtering a targeted frequency from a pedal input signal, the method comprising the steps of:

sampling the pedal input signal at a sampling frequency;

calculating a moving average of the pedal input signal from samples of the pedal input signal; and

outputting a filtered signal based on the moving average;

further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the pedal input signal for a resonant frequency having an amplitude above a predetermined threshold; and

setting the targeted frequency to the resonant frequency if the resonant frequency is detected a requisite number of times.

10. A method of filtering a targeted frequency from a pedal input signal, the method comprising the steps of:

sampling the pedal input signal at a sampling frequency;

calculating a moving average of the pedal input signal from samples of the pedal input signal; and

outputting a filtered signal based on the moving average;

further comprising the steps of:

suspending the calculating step if the pedal input signal corresponds to an invalid signal, wherein an invalid signal is either below an idle pedal signal or above a maximum throttle signal; and

outputting an unfiltered pedal input signal.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the suspending step is performed only if the invalid signal is present for at least 50 ms.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of:

reengaging the calculating step if the pedal input signal is not an invalid signal for at least one period of the targeted frequency.

13. A throttle filter system, the system comprising:

a pedal configured to be actuated to set a desired acceleration of a vehicle;

a position sensor configured to convert a position of the pedal into an electrical signal;

a vehicle driveline configured to accelerate the vehicle; and

a filtering module configured to accept the electrical signal from the position sensor and to filter the electrical signal to remove oscillations at a targeted frequency; and

wherein the driveline accelerates the vehicle based on the filtered electrical signal.

14. The throttle filter system of claim 13 , wherein the targeted frequency is a beaming frequency of a vehicle frame.

15. The throttle filter system of claim 13 , wherein the targeted frequency is from 2 to 10 Hz.

16. The throttle filter system of claim 13 , further comprising an engine control module, wherein the filtering module outputs the filtered electrical signal to the engine control module and wherein the engine control module outputs the filtered electrical signal to the driveline.

17. A control device configured to receive a first signal that corresponds to a position of a pedal and to output a second signal that commands a driveline of a vehicle, the control device comprising:

a filtering module configured to sample the first signal at a sampling frequency and output a moving average of the first signal as the second signal such that oscillations of a targeted frequency are filtered from the first signal.

18. The control device of claim 17 , wherein the targeted frequency is a beaming frequency of a frame of the vehicle.

19. The control device of claim 17 , wherein the targeted frequency is from 2 to 10 Hz.

20. The control device of claim 17 , wherein the filtering module calculates the moving average at the sampling frequency.

21. The control device of claim 17 , wherein the sampling frequency is between 100 and 1000 Hz.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2026
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: REV GROUP, INC.; E-ONE, INC.; HALCORE GROUP, INC.; REV AMBULANCE GROUP ORLANDO, INC.; REV RECREATION GROUP, INC.; SPARTAN FIRE, LLC
Reel/Frame 074853/0871 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2021
From: ALLY BANK, AS TERM COLLATERAL AGENT
To: E-ONE, INC.; HALCORE GROUP, INC.; REV AMBULANCE GROUP ORLANDO, INC.; REV RECREATION GROUP, INC.; SPARTAN FIRE, LLC; LANCE CAMPER MFG. CORP.
Reel/Frame 055937/0055 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2021
From: ALLY BANK, AS REVOLVING COLLATERAL AGENT
To: E-ONE, INC.; HALCORE GROUP, INC.; REV AMBULANCE GROUP ORLANDO, INC.; REV RECREATION GROUP, INC.; SPARTAN FIRE, LLC; LANCE CAMPER MFG. CORP.
Reel/Frame 055937/0036 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2021
From: REV GROUP, INC.; COLLINS BUS CORPORATION; E-ONE, INC.; HALCORE GROUP, INC.; REV AMBULANCE GROUP ORLANDO, INC.; REV RECREATON GROUP, INC.; SPARTAN FIRE, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 055911/0254 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2020
From: SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.
To: SPARTAN FIRE, LLC
Reel/Frame 052139/0662 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 20, 2020
From: SPARTAN FIRE, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS TERM COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051979/0607 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 20, 2020
From: SPARTAN FIRE, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS REVOLVING COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051978/0221 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2017
From: RYAN, JOSHUA J.; MCGRAW, PATRICK; ELOFF, JOHANN; BALASUNDRUM, MURALI X.; CHAPMAN, TODD
To: SPARTAN MOTORS, INC.
Reel/Frame 044230/0653 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62411190 · Oct 21, 2016
Provisional Application 62435573 · Dec 16, 2016
Related Publication 20180112605A1 · Apr 26, 2018